malgpz900

21 hours ago, malc-c said:

I'm sure if you searched or browsed through the forum you'll find similar posts discussing the virtues of either

Yeah, tried that. Thanks for your suggestion.

Pros and cons of EQ over Dobsonian mounts.

TIA

Malcolm.

On 20/07/2022 at 00:11, CruzanGazer said:

I have an iphone 13 Pro and am not able to get a single still or video.  8” dobsonian and 26mm EP.  Can anyone offer tips or tricks.

Might be better off starting your own post in the relevant section.

13 minutes ago, Dave scutt said:

Good choice, I was going to get one but they where out of stock .

As  @Laurieast said check to see if your focuser knob isn't glued on first.

Dave

Yeah, knob comes off. Checked that first before I bought it. 

Thanks,

Malcolm.

I've gone for the Lacerta dual focus upgrade. Thanks for all your suggestions.

Malcolm.

5 hours ago, Dave scutt said:

I think it's this one.

But I got it from the SGL classifieds for only £50

Yeah that the one I've been looking at. Unfortunately I cannot get into the classifieds yet, I have enough posts.

Malcolm

4 minutes ago, Dave scutt said:

I've just upgraded mine, definitely recommend it.

Thanks, which one did you go for?

Thanks, which on did you go for?

I've noticed quite a few discussion on upgrading the focuser to dual speed. 

What are your thoughts please?

TIA

Malcolm.

Think we have had 3 cloudless night skies since we bought our telescope.

Got some good views of the moon. Upgraded eps,  raci finder scope. Need some clear skies tonstart using it.

Thinking of going to a meeting tonight of local astronomical club for their talk for begginers, should be interesting.

Malcolm.

Welcome.

4 minutes ago, Rallemikken said:

It will wobble. Imaging you sit with the scope in your lap. Firm and sturdy. I bought a stool, like this:

The tray is removable, toss it away. Was this what you meant? Highly recommended.  Requiers a solid foundation. You spin the stool around with the dob, and raises and lowers it as needed. Time flies, and no bad backs. And you follow the objects automaticly, without thinking.

Yeah, that what I'm already using. OK on a hard surface, don't know what it will be like on grass. Probably over thinking a problem I may not have. I'll see how well the RACI finder scope works and take it from there.

Got it sussed with a bit of lateral thinking. Photos to follow.

I'm slowly going through the suggestions on various posts to improve use of our 8" dob. RACI finderscope on it's way, hopefully save our backs. Got some decent ep's, 2x barlow and moon filter. I've also seen discussions on raising the hight of the whole instrument. Some screwing 3 legs to the bottom plate of the lazy susan and some standing the whole unit on a water butt stand. I'm a bit reluctant to make any permanent alterations while it's still under warranty, but the water bases seem quite a bit smaller than the 52cm diameter of the base. At present OK with viewing on the patio, sitting on a workshop stool but concerned with how well the base would stand up to being positioned on wet grass and not having something to sit one. 

TIA,

Malcolm.

45 minutes ago, Kon said:

I have the 200P and is an amazing telescope. Yes it's not dark yet to see DSO but it is getting there. You may want to look at the observing reports here with similar setup. A copy of Turn left at Orion I'd a great book, and things will look similar to the sketches there. Don't expect colour in most nebulas. Invest in a RACI and an atlas or some phone app to find your way around.

Have a look here as well:

 

 

Thanks. Got the phone apps Sky Walk 2 and Stellarium, also got the book Turn left at Orion. I think we just need to be patient and learn. 

Thanks,

Malcolm.

Thanks for all of the replies and suggestions. We did comment after buying the scope that we probably bought it at the wrong time of the year to expect good results.

We will spend the time getting used to it, viewing the moon, in anticipation of the darker skies to come.

Malcolm.

56 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

When you say the rest what do you mean? 
 

If you mean deep sky objects (DSO: galaxies and nebula) then yes they are usually grey smudges in even large amateur telescopes. 

3 minutes ago, Avocette said:

In SE Northumberland you are probably in an area with Bortle 7 levels of light pollution. At Kielder you would be in Bortle 3 (there is a good reference to Bortle on Wikipedia). In Bortle 7, visual observing will require quite a bit of preparation to make sure you can get your eyes accustomed to the dark, and keep them so during a session. Dark screening panels and an eyepatch may help. I live with Bortle 5 conditions and several yellow streetlights that play directly into the garden where I do my astronomy. I was out last night observing the moon, but didn’t try other objects except for aligning my mount on bright stars. You may be able to drive to a darker sky area, not too far away. I can reach Bortle 4 skies in half an hour.

Yeah, on the UK light pollution map we are in Bortle 5 area. We did spend about 30 mins outside and our eyes did become accustomed to the dark. We are in the middle of an estate, back garden pointing south, with limited east and west viewing. 

I think it just down the wife being disappointed with searching stars, expecting better viewing. Probably because those who recommended did say they could see quite alot of objects that the huge telescope in the observatory could see. Dare say its all relative depending on the quality of equipment.

We think we identified Vega and Altair, but viewing was disappointing.  Don't think we got anywhere near viewing DSO's.

Malcolm.

Sky-Watcher 200P as recommended by staff at Kielder Observatory as a good starter telescope, two of whom own one. SVbony 8-24 zoom, 2x barlow & moon filter. Clear sky last night so was able to start viewing.  Got some good views of the moon, the rest where just blurs in the distance, that was about it. Are we expecting too much from this set-up.

TIA,

Malcolm.

Went for the Svbony 8-24mm and Svbony 2x barlow. See how they go.

27 minutes ago, malgpz900 said:

New, contacted seller. 

Contacted retailer, who said not to worry with it being to back of the mirror, non-critical for optics. Sending my photos to Sky-Watcher to get their comments. He did have a look at the one on display in the shop, which he recons is worse than mine.  

Watch this space.

Malcolm.

Just now, Philip R said:

Hi @malgpz900 and welcome to SGL. 

If it is new, then I would contact the reseller ASAP. If secondhand, then the seller should have informed you of it, unless they have used the 'sold as seen' disclaimer, which voids them of any claims that arise.

That does not look good.  - I would be crying if it was mine.  

New, contacted seller. 

Arrived yesterday, building/setting up today. I've noticed surface scratches on the rear of the primary mirror. Acceptable?

1 hour ago, Don Pensack said:

Most affordable option with decent quality: Baader Hyperion Zoom 8-24mm.

If you have a widefield low power eyepiece already, perhaps the APM Super Zoom 7.7-15.4mm.

The innumerable zooms at £100 or lower have many issues (some have all these issues, most have a few):

--poor baffling (lots of internal light scatter)

--excessively narrow fields of view in the long focal length half of the range.

--poor control of edge of field aberrations at f/6 or shorter f/ratios

--short eye reliefs

--lots of variation in the zoom mechanism: how easy to turn, how well it deals with cold temperatures

--more internal debris.

A truly minimal set of eyepieces could be with the zoom plus one low power 2" widefield eyepiece (APM 30mm Ultra Flat Field as an example)

and possibly a 2X Barlow for high powers (your scope is usable with eyepieces down to 3mm under superlative conditions, though usually 5mm is about as short as you'll go)

Many thanks, plenty to think about.

Thoughts on zoom eyepieces please. Looking at options. 

Sky-Watcher 200P.

TIA.

Malcolm.